Please Stay
by hansprinsessa
Summary: Tumblr prompt fill: Paric and "Please Stay", and a much-needed rewrite of Eric and Pam's reunion in episode 7x03. One-shot.


**A/N: Another Tumblr prompt fill, "Paric + "Please Stay" requested by Melissa (avikingandhisheartbrokenqueen), that doubles as the 7x03 rewrite some of you guys so kindly requested. Enjoy :)**

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"You should go."

His words resonate through Pam like shards of silver, echoing through her entire body, defeat consuming her just as strongly as if they were still bonded and his emotions were still spilling over into her own.

The pain settles deep within her stomach as she chokes on her tears, and she's forced to look away when she realizes that, despite his inability to command her, she'll still honor his wishes. She always has, no matter how much in the recent past those wishes may have hurt her. She couldn't let the last few years taint the century they had spent together, she just couldn't, no matter how hard she had tried.

If she was never going to see him again, if he was going to send her away, she realizes she can't look at him again, unsure if she can survive seeing the coldness in his eyes that battles with the weakness that seems to have settled into his bones. He doesn't have much longer at the rate he's going, and if it's his final wish to be left to die alone, she will grant it in honor of all the wishes and whims of her own he had granted over the last hundred years. Because _that_ was her Eric. _That_ is who she'll remember, until she meets the true death herself…at this point, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Her eyes close, causing tears to spill from her lashes, as she slowly nods her head, a shuddering sob escaping her. Her hand still lies on top of his, relishing for a moment in the familiar feeling of his skin beneath her fingertips for the last time, before she pulls away, beginning to stand from the chaise he lies on, her chin nearly tucked to her chest in an effort to keep herself from looking at him.

She only stops when she feels his hand suddenly grip hers, surprisingly strong in his grip considering his weakness.

"Don't," he whispers simply, his voice heartbreakingly soft and frail.

"You said—" she starts, but he interrupts her.

"I _know_ what I said," he answers, sounding more like himself than he has since she found him.

"What do you want from me, Eric?" she asks brokenly, turning to face him, her hand gripping his just as tightly as he holds onto her. "We've spent a _century_ together. We were _happy_. And then you start pushing me away, making me watch from the sidelines as you _destroyed_ your life. And never once did you notice the connection between those two things?"

"I want you to stay," he whispers quietly, his eyes holding every bit of his advanced age as they hold hers, making him look old and tired. "_Please_ stay, Pamela."

Unable to hold back any longer, and terrified he'll change his mind again, she throws herself at him with a strangled sob, her tears only flowing faster when his arms encircle her, pulling her against him.

"I didn't want you to see me this way," he whispers into her hair, drawing in a deep breath to fill himself with her scent. "That's why I ran. Even before I contracted the virus, my state of mind…"

"You're an asshole," she chokes out through her tears, clinging to him as she buries her face in the crook of his neck.

"I am," he agrees, "I thought I could drive you away."

"You should have known that wouldn't work," she whispers.

"I should have," he answers, nodding his head as he pulls her closer, groaning slightly in pain but unwilling to release her when she attempts to pull away. "I also should have known that there was no way I could watch you walk away."

"Because you're a _selfish_ asshole," she replies, both her tears and her smile audible in her tone.

"Indeed," he answers simply.

She sniffs, before she sits back, a small smile twisting up her lips as he reaches up, attempting to wipe away her tears. "You're a selfish asshole," she repeats, "And you turned a selfish bitch."

Her heart clenches when she sees him smile, showing just the smallest flash of teeth, nothing like the cold, cruel smirk he gave her earlier. "Among other things," he replies, in almost a purr.

"I'm not going to let you die," she whispers, reaching out to touch his cheek, more tears slipping from her eyes when she sees the way he leans into her touch, his own hand rising to cover hers. "The fight is _not_ over. You can't…you _won't_ leave me alone. I won't allow it."

His smile is weak, but he doesn't argue, turning his head to press his lips against her palm.

"And no more of this suicidal bullshit," she goes on, her voice becoming a little stronger. "You're acting like Bill fucking Compton, you know that, don't you?"

"That was uncalled for," he answers quietly, his eyes widening.

"Well, you are," she answers with an arched brow. "And you _hate _him."

"I do," he replies thoughtfully.

She falls silent for a moment, her eyes searching his, before she adds in a whisper, "This is not what Godric and Nora would have wanted for you."

"I know," he answers, his eyes lowering away, his shame in this obvious, as if he's been well aware of that for a while.

"It's not what _I_ want for you," she goes on, swallowing before she finishes, "Does that matter?"

He smiles sadly, but nods his head. "Of course what you want matters, Pamela," he murmurs, "Even if I've lost sight of that from time to time."

She smiles softly, lowering herself down to brush her lips gently against his, before she pulls away enough to meet his eyes.

"I want the old Eric back," she murmurs, her eyes searching his. "_My_ Eric." He looks as if he's about to argue, and she speaks suddenly, pulling her last trick out of her hat, whispering the name with a small smile, realizing she knows _exactly_ how to get her Eric back. Ruthless, cunning, and _deadly._

"Sarah Newlin."

"What about her?" he asks gruffly, his eyes narrowing at the mere mention of the name.

"What if I told you Jason Stackhouse let her go?" Pam asks, raising a brow as she sees the spark reenter his eyes.

"He didn't," he hisses, and Pam smiles darkly as she nods her head.

"He did," she answers, "She's still out there, Eric."

She can see that spark turning into a flame, his eyes clear and blue, and she knows he's thinking about the same thing she is. About the stupid blonde human's voice booming over the loudspeaker, a laugh in her tone as she ordered them to fight to the death six months before. Pitting them against each other because even _she_ knew they both loved each other most in the world.

Pam scrambles backwards as Eric begins to move, watching him as he struggles with his failing body. She climbs to her feet as he does the same much more slowly, and despite his uncharacteristically ragged appearance, there's no denying that in the moment he meets her eyes, something has changed. She's pulled him back from the precipice, and bought herself time to find a cure, and in the meantime, reminded him what's worth fighting for.

_They_ are.

Her smile is soft and hopeful as she watches him, feeling the smallest trickle of optimism for the first time in months…perhaps even years. "Well," he rumbles as he straightens his back, his voice strong and sure, "Let's go find her. Shall we?"

After all the trouble he went through to climb to his feet, she nearly knocks him off of them as she runs into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist, a sob of happiness bursting from her lips as she hugs him tightly.

She's smiling as she pulls away, tilting her chin up to meet his eyes. "We shall," she answers softly, before she grins widely, her eyes travelling higher until they reach the top of his head.

"But first, we're going to do something about your hair." She laughs as he arches a brow, reaching up to run her fingers through it, before they tighten at his nape, tugging to pull his lips down to hers as she whispers against them, "It hasn't looked _this _bad since the 80's."

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**A/N: Sylvie is gross and I refuse to acknowledge any of that besides perhaps "Pam lives", so I left that shit out. There may be more one-shots to come, I'm still getting prompts. Also, I'm working on Bad Company, I promise! Thanks, and until next time, friends.**


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